I found this interesting i read it a while back so just posting it in case somebody hasn't seen it, when you look at the final cost, remember not only is the cbr at least 2yrs older since the bmw came out 2010(cant see year on the article and im on a small break no time to search it) they've also bought most of that stuff new so imagine the final price if you got it all used....since I ride street I agree with this article, and it'll be the same thinking when I come to get the next bike.

they go for about $7.9k worth at the current exchange rate here in the UK

but current estimates here are for the HP4 BMW to go for around $25k worth, now imagine what you can do to the blade for that left over $18k LOL, you could fit all over carbon and a full akra like the HP4 and have a new house with the change!

I've ridden the 08 blade. Fully modded for the track (minus fairings). Put out over 170whp the owner told me. I had it for a couple of days and put around 500kms on it.

To this day, it is the fastest bike I have ever ridden. The midrange on it is pure savage. Between 5K-10K rpms it was downright scary. However it was also very easy to ride, very easy to operate with great clutch feel.

The handling was smooth and predictable. I even rode it on the street in the rain. I think this is the biggest benefit of the CBR. The easiest literbike to ride.

I don't understand why the s1000 is so over hyped... Yea the features are cool and all but my buddy has one and I've ridden it and its good but not epic ill never ride another bike again like every one talks about it...

IMO is semi ugly and looks half retarded with the idk wtf the designers were thinking head lights...

It's like a Porsche Its a poor mans Ferrari but ever owner swears by them..

reason behind the headlights...smaller one is to save weight, I don't know why they didn't make both of them like the small one. But I also don't think it looks ugly. I got a few buddies with the s1000, 2 of which talk about it like its a gift sent from heaven, one just enjoys riding it.

But still, why would BMW insist on making an ugly spot on an otherwise beautiful bike? I don't know why manufacturers have to insist on maintaining some kind of signature - in BMW's case, asymmetrical headlights are quite typical.

Definitely an eye opener for some, really makes you happy if you just dont want to spend that much on a bike and can still get pretty damn close performance wise by buying something like a slightly older bike and tweak it like an angel.

Seen this article in the mag a while back. Always good when food for thought type directions are promoted more. Instead of a whole load of uselss power people never know what to do with properly!

...from building Blades for fast road riding for people, and from a work point of view here, I found a bit of a boost in mid range was good, so i like what they did there with power - even full Akra ain't too noisy - but am not in with the anodised bits, as they don't really do anything for me and do not make it corner better or anything anyways...

Suspension-wise, certainly the nicest build for the road done, was when we used a slightly modified R&T fork, so a 25mm kit (not the 30's), and then built up a WP shock instead of the TTX. The WP gives all the nice feel that you get from the Factory Showa once revalved, and has all the reliability for long trips that they don't - maybe you didn't know, but the K-Tech's and Kit HRC Showa shocks all run high maintenance bladders, which should be rebuilt often so as to dispel (or re-dispel_) the accumulating gas in the oil (rubber leaks). And whilst the TTX is a fine shock too, the WP is really suited to the Blade when on the road. Yet sadly overlooked due to its price out of Austria nowadays. Might not even be available anymore too...

I think we had like 42mm/32mm sag and some Racetec K3's so they heated up fast (lower operating range) and she was sweet for munching away one side of our continent - but still used up tyres faster than my 600 on the same mountains trip we did last year, ha ha

Riding all these bikes every year - all the litres - on road tests, I really have a soft spot for da Blade, excellent bike, even without TC like the others have. The 2012 is even better than ever, and when swapping back n forth all day on all these bikes, what one notices is how you gravitate toward the easier to ride one's as the roads get bumpier, wetter, or as I get tired-er after 6 hours riding! Of course the Beeemer is an engineering marvel, but actually the Gixxer, or the Blade are for the least-amount-of-effort-to-ride-still-fast type mental-space-place. There are heaps of fast bikes about now, and heaps of on-paper/screen really fast one's; but riding the last 200kms to the nearest bed, and putting up with it on highly-potentially unfamiliar surfaces; and basically dealing with in all scenarios is what goes on isn't it when you buy something and like riding it that you go and travel? So ya, Blade's are wkd, and it even does well around tighter tracks well too!

I'm pretty set now on a 2009 HRC colors blade and modding it...now I just need the money, and for my insurance to come down, but in the next year or 2, if i dont lose my job or die of some disease or something silly like that then im thinking it'll happen

my dilemma is, do i mod my bike in the meantime? I could try just saving my money but i know it'll get spent on something so better my 600rr, i may not get my money back but if i finish my plans of modding it tastefully...my bike will sell quick i can say that for sure...

Edit: Don't think it'll be soon, £2600($4130.23) a year insurance with my current company for a 2009 CBR1000RR, this time next year it'll drop to £1800($2859.39), and this is third party +fire and theft, not even fully comp!

You're getting raped. Full coverage everything included on my Ducati is $78/month

WTF?! I think you need to re look at that.. I was looking at getting basic full coverage on my 08 600rr and with a no name company was $3k a year.. Im spilling out $500 a year for liability II ($5k coverage is driver is uninsured)

I think your mislead or thinking you have full when you have basic.. There's no way.

Guys, this had been a super interesting thread. I'm pretty sure the 1krr will be my next street bike when the 600 goes full track duty. Anyway let's not ruin this thread with an insurance-rate hijacking (no offense).

WTF?! I think you need to re look at that.. I was looking at getting basic full coverage on my 08 600rr and with a no name company was $3k a year.. Im spilling out $500 a year for liability II ($5k coverage is driver is uninsured)

I think your mislead or thinking you have full when you have basic.. There's no way.

Full coverage for my 600RR is more than my 1098. More people can afford it so more people crash it thus putting it in a higher insurance bracket.

WTF?! I think you need to re look at that.. I was looking at getting basic full coverage on my 08 600rr and with a no name company was $3k a year.. Im spilling out $500 a year for liability II ($5k coverage is driver is uninsured)

I think your mislead or thinking you have full when you have basic.. There's no way.

thats weird, im at 38 / month for my 06 600rr ... just a little over 450 a year ... thats FULL coverage